Speed-governor for gas-engines



(No Model. I I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. S. GONNELLY. SPEED GOVERNOR FDRGAS ENGINES.

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WITH E 8 ES (No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. S. GONNELLY.

SPEED GOVERNOR FOR GAS ENGINES. No. 475,385. Patented May 24, 1892.

I l I i I i I f l NNNNNN 0R UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STORER OONNELLY, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

SPEED-GOVERNOR FOR GAS-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,385, dated May24,1892.

Application filed March 16, 1891- Serial No. 385,151. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN STORER 001w NELLY, of Plainfield, in the countyof Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Speed-Governors for Gas-Engines, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 shows in axial section the motive cylinder of a gas-engineprovided with my improved governing mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan viewthereof. Fig. 3 shows in side elevation, partly in section, a stationarysteamengine to which a modified construction of the governor is applied.Fig. 4 shows insection the air-compressing device of Fig. 3, the sectionbeing on the line IV IV of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on theline V V of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, 2 is the engine-cylinder. 3 is the plunger whichreciprocates therein, being actuated by successive explosions of thegaseous charge, and 4 is the pitman which connects the plunger with thecrank on the main shaft of the engine.

5 is an air-admission port situate at the end of the cylinder.

6 is a vertically-movable valve which controls the port and which has ahollow stem 7, connected by a lateral opening or openings 8 with apassage through which gas for the explosive charge may be admitted.

9 is a valve which controls the opening at the inner end of the hollowstem 7 and which has a stem 10, by which it is movable longitudinally.The valve-stem 7 is moved inwardly at or about the end of each'outstroke of the piston 3 to open the port 5 and to admit air for thenext explosive charge to the cylinder. This motion of the valve-stem maybe effected by means of mechanical connection with the driven parts ofthe engine-for example, as shown in my patent application, Serial No.370,892, filed November 10, 1890; or it may be effected otherwiseforexample, by the sucking action of a charging-cylinder connected with thecylinder 2 by a passage 11as shown in my patentapplication, Serial No.381,039, filed February 11, 1391.

The gas-admission valve is so constructed trifugal governor and arrangedthat normally it shall open to admit gas at each opening of theair-valve, but is provided with mechanism by which when the speed of theengine exceeds determined rate the gas-valve shall not open to admit gasand that the engine shall run without explosion until the speed falls tothe required: limit. To this end I may employ a lever 12, pivoted to abracket 13, which is carried: by the air-valve stem. One end of saidlever is fitted to the part of the gas-valve stem 10 which projectsabove the air-valve stem; while the other end is situate opposite to theend of a post let, which is pivoted to to the engine frame or cylinder.

15 is a spring which tends to lift the gasvalve stem and to seat thegas-valve. Vith this construction it will be seen that when the airvalve stem moves inwardly the bracket 13 will carry the lever 12 withit, and the outer end of said lever engaging the post 14 will cause theinner end to move downwardly relatively thereto and to unseat thegas-valve. There is, however, a speed-governing apparatus connected withthe post 14 and adapted, when the speed of the engine exceeds thenormal, to move the post away from the path of the lever. \Vhen thisoccurs, the downward motion of the lever with the air-valve stem will,of course, cause no tilting of the lever, and the gas-valve will not beunseated. Heretofore such governing apparatus has consisted of theordinary cenconnected mechanically with the post.

My improvement consists in a governing mechanism of novel construction.It is illustrated in the drawings as applied to the specific valvemechanism above described, and while such application is desirable andis claimed specifically, I would have it understood that the inventionis not limited thereto, but that the governor may be used with valves ofmany other constructions and arrangements.

I shall now proceed to describe .the governor. I

16 is a small cylinder, and 17 is a plunger actuated by motion of theengine and adapted at each stroke of the piston to enter the smallcylinder. For this purpose said plunger is preferably fixed to thepiston, and the cylinder 16 is arranged in its path of motion. At theinner end of said cylinder is a hole or port connected with a pipe 18,so that each inward motion ot the plunger will cause air to be forced rpumped through the pipe at some pressure. The cylinderis also providedwith an inwardly-opening valve which admits air on the outward stroke ofthe plun ger, so as to therein.

19 is a closed chamber containing asmall expansible diaphragm 22,connected by a rod to the post 14, and 21 is a springarranged to resistthe action of the diaphragm. An opening for the escape of air isprovidedat the delivery side of the air-pump, as at 24 in Fig. 1 and at2 1 in Fig. 3, hereinafter to be described. This opening is of propersize to permit air compressed by the pump to escape in such current thatthe residual pressure in the diaphragm-chamber shall balance the spring21 when the engine is running at normal speed. When the engine exceedssuch speed even slightly, the increased pressure will be sufiicient toovercome the resistance of the spring and to move the diaphragm. At eachoutstroke of the engine-piston the motion of the plunger in the cylinder16 will expel air through said opening 24, and if the force of the pumpis too great for the air displaced to flow at once through the openingit will create an airpressure in the chamber 19, the pressure of whichwill tend to expand the diaphragm 22 and through the rod 20 to force thepost 14 against the spring 21 and out of the path of the lever 12. Thesize of the outlet-opening at 24 remaining constant, the degree of thepressure exerted by the air will vary with the speed of the engine andthe consequent rapidity of motion of the plunger in the small cylinder,and it is evident that by adjusting the tension of the spring 21 to suchpoint that it shall not permit motion of the post by the diaphragm untilthe pressure of air thereon has reached a degree occasioned by runningof the engine above the desired speed, the required result will beattained. Then at each excess of speed of the engine, the air-pressurein the chamber 19, occasioned by the plunger 17, will move thediaphragm, and overcoming the resistance of the spring will move thepost 14 from the path of the lever 12 at the time when said lever ismoved with the air-valve, and, as before explained, will prevent openingof the gas-valve. Suitable adjusting mechanism-such as a screw ornut-may be used for giving the spring the proper tension.

The mechanism above described aifords a most eflicient and simple meansof governing the speed of the engine. It may be modified by the skilledmechanic in many ways within the scope of my invention, which relates,broadly, to governing apparatus comprising an air-compressor actuatedvariably by the prevent formation of a vacuum 1 ed with the valve. Itwill be understood that a piston may be substituted as an equlvalent forthe diaphragm.

In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 I show a modified construction of theair-compressing apparatus and show it applied, also, to an ordinarystationary steam-engine. In this case the rod 20', extending from thediaphragm 1n the chamber 19', is connected with the steam-admissionvalve A. The construction of the air-pump, which is connected with thediaphragm-chamber 19' by the pipe 18, is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. .It isa rotary pump having a rotatory shaft B, which may be fixed to the mainengine-shaft and extends through a cylindrical case C. D D E E are vanesor plates fitted radially in slots in the shaft B, and between theopposite vanes are interposed springs F, which tend to project them. Gis the air-inlet port, and H is the air-outlet port, which communicateswith the pipe 18. I I are relief-passages at said ports. When thusconstructed, it is clear that as the shaft B rotates in the direction ofthe arrow, Fig. 1, it will draw air in through the port G and force itthrough the port 11 and pipe 18' into the diaphragm-chamber in themanner common to rotary pumps and that-this pressure of the air thusforced will vary with the speed of the engine, so that by applyingspring-resistance to the diaphragm the valve A will be moved to vary thesteam-admission conformably to the rate of such speed, the pressure ofthe air being too great to allow the escape of the same through theopening 2 1' in the pipe 18'.

Other modifications in construction and application will be suggested tothose skilled in the art.

It will be understood that although I describe the governing apparatusas adapted to be operated by compressed air other fluids, whethergaseous or liquid, may be employed as the means for transmitting therequired variable pressure.

I claim- 1. In a gas-motor, the combination of the air-valve, agas-valve carried thereby, a lever connected with said gas-valve, a postwith which said lever engages to cause the 0pening of the valve, adiaphragm-chamber the diaphragm of which is connected with said post andis adapted to move the same, sub stantially as described, and afluid-compressor driven by the moving parts of the engine and adapted tocompress fluid with pressure varying with the rate of speed, saidcompressor being connected with said chamber, substantially as and forthe purposes described.

2. In a gas-motor, the combination of a hollow cylindrical air-valve,'agas-valve located within the hollow air-valve, a lever connected withsaid gas-valve, a post with which said lever engages to cause theopening of the valve, a diaphragm-chamber the diaphragm motion of theengine and operatively connectof which is connected with said post andis In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day ofMarch, A. D. 1891.

JOHN STORER CONNELLY. [L 8.]

Witnesses:

T. E. OONNELLY, M. I. MAWHINNEY.

